Filmmaker David Fincher is set to direct and executive produce a U.S. adaptation of British TV series Utopia. The Fight Club director is re-teaming with author Gillian Flynn - the woman behind his latest film Gone Girl - to recreate the show for American audiences.
Utopia aired in the U.K. last year (13) and stars Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Alexandra Roach and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. The second season is set to premiere later this year (14).
The American version of the show will follow the fortunes of the "die-hard fans of an iconic, underground graphic novel (who) are suddenly launched into their own pop-culture thriller when they learn that the author has secretly written a sequel," according to America's HBO network.
This isn't Fincher's first foray into U.S. TV - he is also the executive producer of Netflix political drama House of Cards.

Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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With the end of The Twilight Saga comes the subsequent end of so much more than just the films (including the gratuitous, albeit increasingly creative methods to make Taylor Lautner take his shirt off). But it's the end of the Twilight soundtracks, those multi-platinum albums loved and respected by Twihards and Twihardlys alike, that may leave the biggest void. On Tuesday, November 13 the soundtrack for Breaking Dawn — Part 2 was released, featuring an eclectic array of artists like Green Day, St. Vincent, Passion Pit, Feist, and Twilight's own Nikki Reed.
It's that very M.O. — combining an unlikely group of bands and musicians, both from the Twilight world and beyond — and creating an unexpected, yet pitch-perfect compilation soundtracks that pleases fans of the series and fans of just plain great music.
The first Twilight soundtrack, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 back in November of 2008, and spent an astonishing 224 weeks on the charts and moved more than 3.5 million copies worldwide. In addition to commercial success, the album was loved by critics (Entertainment Weekly gave it an A-) and even earned Grammy nominations.
Since then, the four soundtracks to follow: New Moon, Eclipse, and both Breaking Dawns, have all followed suit and been chart-topping, must-have records. Many of the artists featured on the Twilight soundtracks were bona fide hit-makers and music superstars long before they contributed their exclusive tracks to the albums (including Muse, Linkin Park, Florence and the Machine, Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Cee Lo Green, The Killers, Bruno Mars, and The Black Keys), just as many up-and-coming indie artists were given a major platform to share their music with the masses.
So what's it like being part of the pop culture phenomenon and becoming a "Twilight band" alongside the likes of Muse and Death Cab For Cutie? Hollywood.com caught up with two of the bands featured on the Twilight soundtracks, how they got involved, the impact it has made on their careers, and the reception they're received since.
Melissa Dougherty, the lead guitarist of rock band Eastern Conference Champions, whose original song "A Million Miles An Hour" was featured on the Eclipse soundtrack, put it simply: "Being on the soundtrack definitely opened up a lot of doors for our band ... We saw it as a great opportunity to grow the band on a global level." While the band had already gained notoriety for appearing on shows like Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl, the bass-heavy "A Million Miles An Hour" track clicked with the Twilight fan base. "The Twihards are a very loyal and supportive community, and they definitely embraced our band wholeheartedly, which we truly appreciate," Dougherty says
It probably didn't hurt that ECC's song started the first moment Lautner's Jacob appeared on screen in Eclipse. Dougherty recalled, "We didn’t know which scene the song was for ... We went to the premiere and heard the bass line start, but the audience went crazy screaming for Taylor Lautner, so we kind of missed hearing it." Of course, as much as a thrill the song provided for fans ("People always want to hear that tune as well, and it’s become a fun one to play," she says), being welcomed aboard the Twilight soundtrack lineage was just as much a thrill for the band back when they submitted their music for consideration.
"We’re very proud to have had our song picked out of 400 other artists. It’s a big honor and a big opportunity for an unsigned band to get. At the time we, had no label, no manager and no lawyer," Dougherty recalls, adding, "It was definitely one for the underdogs."
Like ECC, the eclectic Southern indie rock outfit The Features were approached to submit a song through their publishing company. If it hadn't been for the Breaking Dawn - Part 1 soundtrack, their track "From Now On" may have never heard the light of day. Singer/guitarist Matt Pelham recalls, "We were, at that time, in the studio finishing up a record, and had a few songs that were left over from the record. And we figured it couldn't hurt, so we submitted a couple of the songs we had left over. 'From Now On' was one of those, and it wound up on the soundtrack."
"From Now On", one of the more upbeat songs in the Twilight soundtrack catalog, plays during Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella's (Kristen Stewart) honeymoon sequence. While Pelham acknowledges that their appearance on the soundtrack has brought in some younger fans and a spike in YouTube awareness ("At one point the YouTube video that someone had posted had surpassed a million hits, which if you take every other YouTube video we have and combine them, it doesn't even come close to that") he and the band had their initial trepidations about appearing on the soundtrack.
"At first, when they asked, we thought it might be kinda weird," Pelham admits, "We didn't know how we'd fit into that soundtrack." Still, Pelham — who says he admires the "mix tape" approach of albums ("I really enjoy records that kind of move around and surprise you") — and the band were happy with how things turned out in the end. "I'm really glad we were part of it ... The music supervisor did a really good job of placing the music and with the music they chose. It comforted the band to know it wasn't just find the catchiest stuff and stick it in there."
That music supervisor is none other than Alexandra Patsavas, the woman worked on all five of the Twilight soundtracks and also put her magical musical touch on the likes of Grey's Anatomy, Mad Men, The O.C., and more recently, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Pastavas, who says she's "always been interested in independent music," cites the combination of artists like ECC and The Features with "some of the most important alternative and indie rock bands" as "one of the most rewarding and interesting parts of the Twilight saga soundtracks."
In addition to using a variety of bands for the soundtracks, Pastavas, who worked closely with Stephenie Meyer and the various directors throughout the creation of the Twilight soundtracks ("It is a very analog process for this very sophisticated digital era we live in ... It's a collaborative effort in the artistic process,"), also credits the use of original, exclusive music for why these albums struck such a chord. "It was a special thing and something the fans really, really appreciated being able to forever associate the songs and bands with their favorite scenes in the film."
Pastavas, who says she received over 500 submissions for each album, perhaps summed the success of each of the wide-ranging soundtracks best: "Every single one has told a different story." Yet another reason we're sad to close the Twilight chapter.
[Photo credit: Atlantic Records]
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If there's a cinematic alchemy award to be given this year director Bill Condon deserves to take it home after magically turning the tedious Twilight franchise into entertainment gold. 2011's Part 1 was a horror camp romp that turned the supernatural love triangle — the naval gazing trio of Bella Edward and Jacob — on its head. Breaking Dawn - Part 2 continues the madcap exploration of a world populated by vampires and werewolves mining even more comedy thrills and genuine character moments out of conceit than ever before. The film occasionally sidesteps back into Edward and Bella's meandering romance (an evident hurdle of author Stephenie Meyer's source material) but the duller moments are overshadowed by the movie's nimble pace and playful attitude. Breaking Dawn - Part 2 will elicit laughs aplenty — but thankfully they're all on purpose.
Part 2 picks up immediately following the events of the first film Bella (Kristen Stewart) having been turned into a vampire by Edward (Robert Pattinson) to save her life after the torturous delivery of her half-human half-vampire child Renesmee. She awakes to discover super senses heightened agility increased strength… and a thirst for blood. One dead cougar later Bella and the gang are able to focus on the real troubles ahead: Renesmee is rapidly growing (think Jack) and vampiric overlords The Volturi perceive her a threat to vampiric secrecy. Knowing the Volturi will travel to Forks WA to kill the young girl (a 10-year-old just a month after being born) The Cullens amass an army of bloodsucking friends to end the oppression once and for all.
Packed with an absurd amount of backstory and mythology-twisting plot points (some vampires can shoot lightning now?) Condon and series screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg mine revel in the beefed up ensemble of Breaking Dawn - Part 2 and thanks to a wildly funny cast it never feels like pointless deviation. Along with the usual suspects Lee Pace adds swagger to the series as a grungy alt-rock vampire Noel Fisher appears as a hilarious over-the-top battle-ready Russian coven member and Michael Sheen returns has Volturi head honcho Aro and steels the show. Flamboyant diabolical and a steady stream of maniacal laughter Sheen owns Condon's high camp vision for Twilight and he lights up the screen. There are a few throw away nations of vampires — the oddly stereotypical Egyptian and Amazonians sects are there mostly there to off-set the extreme whiteness — but the actors involved bring liveliness to a franchise known for being soulless. Even Stewart Pattinson and Taylor Lautner give personal bests in this installment — a scene between Bella and her dad Charlie (Billy Burke) is genuinely heartfelt while Jacob's overprotective hero schtick finally lands.
Whereas Breaking Dawn - Part 1 stuck mostly to the personal story relying on the intimate moments as Bella and Edward took the big plunge into marriage and sex Part 2 paints with broader strokes and Condon has a ball. Delving into the history of the vampires and the vampire world outside Forks is Pandora's Box for the director. One scene where we learn why kids scare the heck of the Volturi captures a scope of medieval epics — along with the bloodshed. Twilight might be known for its sexual moments but Breaking Dawn - Part 2 will go down for its abundance of decapitations. The big set piece in the finale is something to behold both in the craftsmanship of the spectacle and in its bizarre nature.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 had the audience hooting hollering and even gasping as it twisted and turned to the final moments. There's little doubt that even the biggest naysayer of the franchise would do the same. No irony here: the conclusion of Twilight is a blast.

It's been an interesting few years, living in the world that Twilight built. And now, we've reached the beginning of the end. With the theatrical release of the final Twilight film, The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 2 only days away, it's fun to look back at what might have been. Now, we think Kristen Stewart has done a fantastic job of embodying the lead in the books, Bella Swan, but we can't help but wonder: does Stewart really look the part of Bella?
So we reached out to our handy sketch artist (of Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele, and Katniss Everdeen fame) to figure out what Bella Swan might look like based solely on the descriptions from the series. And to your left you can see the final product. What do you think? Is this the image of Bella you had in your head when you were reading the books? Are you surprised?
In the end, the only Bella that people will remember is Stewart, but it's fun to think about the "what ifs," right? We've dug deep into our collective pop culture brain here at Hollywood.com to find the actresses we think look similar enough to the sketch to tackle she who must become a vampire. Take a look at some of the ladies we think hold a striking resemblance.
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 1: Young Christina Ricci
If this movie had been made in the 90s, you just know Christina Ricci would've been high on people's lists of actresses. She plays unnerved, intense female characters better than anyone around. Plus her sweet and innocent looks coupled with her ability to handle situations that are slightly, well, out-of-this-world, and well, you've got a perfect match for Bella Swan. Not only that but Christina Ricci looks sort of like the sketch. What do you think?
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 2: Juno Temple
Just imagine Juno Temple with some dark hair and a clumsy streak, and we think the actress looks a good deal like the sketch above. Plus homegirl knows drama and romance from that time she played Lola Quincey in Atonement. If you can deal with the war and sadness of that film, you can certainly deal with a few Volturi.
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 3: Minka Kelly
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose! Former Friday Night Lights actress Minka Kelly has all the attributes of a good Bella Swan: sweet with a twist with a forbidden love (we'll never forget you, Tim Riggins!) to boot. We think those things, combined with Kelly's far-from-average good looks would make her a great candidate for Bella.
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 4: Troian Bellisario
We think if Twilight was being made today, Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario would be high on the list. I mean, come on: homegirl looks just like that sketch, am I right? The resemblance is pretty uncanny. Sure, her role on PLL is pretty much the exact opposite of Bella Swan, but something tells us this girl could handle the characterization switch-up. Don't you?
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 5: Alexandra Daddario
Ms. Daddario has done smaller, supporting movie roles for awhile now, and we think with the resemblance to the sketch, she's ready to take it to the next level and be a star. And with the female lead in the upcoming Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, something tells us she's on the brink as-it-is. Can you imagine Alexandra Daddario as Bella Swan?
Bella Swan Look-alike No. 6: Bella Thorne
Well it certainly is convenient that these two already have the same name, right? And while yes, she may be a ginger, but that's nothing a little hair dye can't fix! (Though your shade of red is enviable, Bella!) Either way, the pretty actress already knows how to deal with rabid young fans—she is a Disney star, after all!—and looks-wise, we think she's a totally passable option for the sketch above, don't you?
What do you think of the sketch? Think the actresses we chose could've handled the role? Have a suggestion of your own? Let us hear it in the comments!
Illustration by Janet Hamlin,
[Photo Credit: WENN.com]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
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I’m addicted to many things: Coffee, shiny objects, teacup piglets (how can you say no to this face??), caramel, Sour Patch Kids, Diet Coke, and cinnamon candles, just to name a few. But the cherry on top of my almost dysfunctional sundae is of course television. In this week’s edition of Leanne’s Spoiler List, I chatted with a former Once Upon a Time princess, Jessy Schram, to see if the glass slippers still fit and gossiped with Revenge’s Christa B. Allen to get all the “twisted” details on what’s coming up for the Graysons. Not to mention Jane Levy told me all about Tessa’s upcoming romance on Suburgatory and the new drug of choice in Chatswin. Plus, I got an early glimpse at what’s coming up next on The Walking Dead, and Ben and Kate, to get your heart a flutter for all the upcoming awesomeness that will eventually come to a TV screen near you. Ready, set, spoil away!
1. Once Upon a Time: If The Shoe Fits…
At the beginning of last season, ABC’s beloved fairytale drama reintroduced the world to the Princess Cinderella—aka Ella for short—and her Storybrooke counterpart Ashley Boyd. Since the show’s return, many fans have been hoping to see Ella, her hubby Prince Thomas, and their sweet baby girl Alexandra return to their TV screens now that the curse has been lifted. (They were Snow and Charming’s best friends after all…) To help get some magical answers, I spoke with the princess herself Jessy Schram to see if a return to Storybrooke is in her near future. The ABC actress exclaimed, “There is most certainly a possibility!”
“The second season is going so strong on it’s own right now and there are so many characters…but if a storyline came up I know that they wouldn’t mind sharing me and giving me back the glass slippers.” Squee! Just imagining another girls night complete with Ella, Snow, Ruby, Belle and Emma makes my heart all warm and fuzzy. Schram playfully teases, “There’s always a possibility, nothing is unknown in the land of Once Upon a Time.” Now if we could just somehow get the huntsman to come back in the same episode, then I’m pretty sure I would hyperventilate with happiness for at least a week. P.S. Exciting news for Once Upon a Time fans! I am leaving for Vancouver early next week to visit the set of Storybrooke and interview the cast! Send me all of your bewitching questions in the comments below, or feel free to pass along your enchanted tweets to @LeanneAguilera
2. Ben and Kate: Low Heat Lovin’In next week’s episode of the hilarious freshman comedy "Operation Crockpot" is officially underway! What the heck is that, you ask? Well Kate (Dakota Johnson) is still beyond interested in her ridiculously hunky next-door-neighbor—played by FOX comedy veteran Geoff Stults—but she wants to take things slow and let the romance simmer at a steady pace. No need to rush into anything when you’ve been on a small 57-month hiatus from sex, right? But of course Ben (Nat Faxon) is ready to stir things up and cause a mess in Kate’s kitchen of love. (Side-Note: Can anyone tell that my tummy is rumbling right now?)In between his quest to find a fun and spirited new job in time for Maddie’s (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) career day, Ben looks to the desperate housewives of his neighborhood to get all the gossip on Kate’s potential new beau. But my absolute favorite part of next Tuesday’s episode was learning that sweet little Maddie has got quite the way with words. You won’t believe her creative yet terrifying technique she uses to stop being teased on the playground. Warning: Don’t mess with Maddie or you may have severe nightmares.3. Revenge: A Hamptons HoneymoonNow that the Graysons have re-tied the knot—complete with a name-inspiring wedding dress and a super romantic police search of their home—it’s time to freak out wonder what’s next for the Hampton’s royalty. And there is no one better to help answer this question then their own on-screen daughter Christa B. Allen. In a recent phone interview I chatted with Allen about this season’s crazy over-the-top plans for Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) and Conrad (Henry Czerny) as a couple. Allen explains, “One of my favorite aspects is just how twisted you see Victoria get, and then Conrad in response to her. These are two people who have the sickest motives at heart. The way they use each other to get what they want, and then pit everybody else towards each other as well is just sick. and you can’t decide whether it’s coming from a place of love or sheer vindictiveness. You really can’t tell." The actress adds, “I still don’t know!“One thing we do know is that Conrad is once again in hot waters for the alleged murder of Gordon Murphy—crazy white-haired man. (Damn Emily you’ve still got it…) But Allen warns that you should never underestimate the lengths that Victoria and Conrad are willing to go to maintain their perfect facades. “The fact is that they are both two very strong individuals with very different agendas. In most cases the only one stopping them from getting what they want is each other, but they can only do it together. Apart, they’re nothing.” Looks like those new wedding bands are definitely not coming off any time soon. 4. Suburgatory: Getting High on LoveRemember back a few weeks ago when I told you that Tessa would be getting a football-playing fella? Well I just chatted with our favorite out-of-place suburbanite Jane Levy about her new beau and I’m just bursting to share the details. (Pssst! In case you couldn’t already tell, I love this show.) So what’s coming up for Ryan (Parker Young) and Tessa? Levy gushed, “They start dating! And like pretty soon too.” Last week fans saw an adorably sweet moment between the too and Levy says audiences can get excited for a “really really fun” upcoming episode. In a pretty uncharacteristic move, Tessa tries to fit in more with the Chatswin kids—the football girlfriends to be exact—even though their priorities in life could not be more opposite. Levy explains, “She tries really hard in this episode to fit in and make Ryan happy and just be nice and accepting and not judgmental or preachy, but she just sort of can’t help herself.”Tessa’s new friends are more like high school versions of Stepford wives and Levy laughs that it doesn’t take long for Tessa to crack. “There is a really funny moment where she’s up in the middle of the night with all these football girlfriends making banners and everyone is hungry and tired.” So what is their secret to staying so perfectly perky you ask? “They get through the night by sniffing their sparkly pens.” Levy reveals with a laguth. (My brain is so torn right now. Drugs are of course bad but I’m drawn to anything with glitter.) Luckily, it seems that Tessa is going to have stronger willpower. “She just can’t take it anymore” Levy says, “And Tessa turns into a little Norma Rae.” Anything involving a Sally Fields reference is amazing in my book!5. The Walking Dead: Do Not Eat While WatchingThis show seriously scares the beejeebers out of me (I’d like to thank Jimmy Neutron for embedding that term into my vocabularly) And I can only imagine that out of all the apocalyptic worlds, being a survivor on Walking Dead must be by far the worst. You lose limbs and family members, have to subsist on old canned food, and sometimes have to hang out with Carl. But you know what must really suck for TV-philes like us? Not being able to curl up in front of the tube for our favorite stories. This week’s all-new episode shows us what the citizens of Woodbury do to replace our modern entertainment — and to say it's brutal and disturbing is an understatement. Word to the wise: Do NOT eat anything while watching this episode unless you really want to see it come back up again later. (Sorry for the visual. But seriously, gross!)Now on to what really matters: Rick (Andrew Lincoln). After his wife Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) unbelievable death in last week’s tear-jerking episode, many fans are still in shock—and so is Rick. The widower is absolutely inconsolable and channels his loss and anger into a full-fledged rampage. His weapon of choice this week? An ax. And believe me when I say, I have never been more excited to see so much blood flying through the air. If this is his way to cope with the grief, then I say go for it and take no prisoners! As for Rick and Lori’s baby? He/she (you’ll have to watch to find out the sex) is perfectly fine, just very very hungry.Would you like to see Cinderella return to Once Upon a Time? Excited for the upcoming hilarity on Suburgatory and Ben and Kate? Intrigued to see how Conrad and Victoria are going to overcome their latest hurdle on Revenge? Tell me everything in the comments below! Follow Leanne on Twitter @LeanneAguilera[Photo Credit: AMC, ABC, FOX]MORE: Leanne’s Spoiler List: Love is Brewing on ‘Glee,' Lucy Hale Scares Up 'PLL' Secrets Leanne's Spoiler List: Zachary Quinto Makes His 'Asylum' Debut, 'Glee' Goes Black Swan Leanne’s Spoiler List: Thrills and Kills on ‘Pretty Little Liars’, ‘Glee’ Adds a New Twist From Our Partners: ’Twilight’ Stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson Hop on Private Jet in Matching Outfits (PHOTOS) (Celebuzz)
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It's always good, when you've finished a career-defining role, to take a bit of a left turn on your subsequent projects. And Robert Pattinson is doing just that with the announcement of his newest role in a black comedy thriller.
Hold On To Me will star Carey Mulligan as a woman hell-bent on reuniting with her high school crush after her big city dreams go all wrong. So her and her boyfriend (an unwitting accomplice) kidnap and ransom (and later...bury in a box in the ground?) a wealthy local man in an attempt to get rich quick. Pattinson's character is named Jimmy, and it sounds like he is the high school flame Mulligan hopes to impress.
The film will be directed by James Marsh, was written by Brad Ingelsby, and will be produced by Indian Paintbrush‘s Steven Rales, Mark Roybal, Michael Pruss, and Alexandra Milchan. Todd Field is also set to produce after originally planning to direct but stepping out of that role in order to focus on helming Creed Of Violence. The film was originally titled Nancy and Danny.
Do you think Pattinson can handle a dark, comedic role? Let us know in the comments!
[Photo Credit: WENN]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
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There is something particularly unnerving about demon possession. It's the idea of something you can't see or control creeping into your body and taking up residence eventually obliterating all you once were and turning you into nothing more than a sack of meat to be manipulated. Then there's also the shrouded ritual around exorcisms: the Latin chants the flesh-sizzling crucifixes and the burning Holy Water. As it turns out exorcism isn't just the domain of Catholics.
The myths and legends of the Jews aren't nearly as well known but their creepy dybbuk goes toe-to-toe with anything other world religions come up with. There are various interpretations of what a dybbuk is or where it comes from — is it a ghost a demon a soul of a sinner? — but in any case it's looking for a body to hang out in for a while. Especially according to the solemn Hasidic Jews in The Possession an innocent young person and even better a young girl.
The central idea in The Possession is that a fancy-looking wooden box bought at a garage sale was specifically created to house a dybbuk that was tormenting its previous owner. Unfortunately it caught the eye of young Emily (Natasha Calis) a sensitive artistic girl who persuades her freshly divorced dad Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan of Watchmen and Grey's Anatomy) to buy it for her. Never mind the odd carvings on it — that would be Hebrew — or how it's created without seams so it would be difficult to open or why it's an object of fascination for a young girl; Clyde is trying really hard to please his disaffected daughters and do the typical freshly divorced parent dance of trying to please them no matter the cost.
Soon enough the creepy voices calling to Emily from the box convince her to open it up; inside are even creepier personal objects that are just harbingers of what's to come for her her older sister Hannah (Madison Davenport) her mom Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) and even Stephanie's annoying new boyfriend Brett (Grant Show). Clyde and Stephanie squabble over things like pizza for dinner and try to convince each other and themselves that Emily's increasingly odd behavior is that of a troubled adolescent. It's not of course and eventually Clyde enlists the help of the son of a Hasidic rabbi a young man named Tzadok played by the former Hasidic reggae musician Matisyahu to help them perform an exorcism on Emily.
The Possession is not going to join the ranks of The Exorcist in the horror pantheon but it does do a remarkable job of making its characters intelligent and even occasionally droll and it offers up plenty of chills despite a PG-13 rating. Perhaps it's because of that rating that The Possession is so effective; the filmmakers are forced to make the benign scary. Giant moths and flying Torahs take the place of little Reagan violently masturbating with a crucifix in The Exorcist. Gagging and binging on food is also an indicator of Emily's possession — an interesting twist given the anxieties of becoming a woman a girl Emily's age would face. There is something inside her controlling her and she knows it and she is fighting it. The most impressive part of Calis's performance is how she communicates Emily's torment with a few simple tears rolling down her face as the dybbuk's control grows. The camerawork adds to the anxiety; one particularly scary scene uses ordinary glass kitchenware to great effect.
The Possession is a short 92 minutes and it does dawdle in places. It seems as though some of the scenes were juggled around to make the PG-13 cut; the moth infestation scene would have made more sense later in the movie. Some of the problems are solved too quickly or simply and yet it also takes a while for Clyde's character to get with it. Stephanie is a fairly bland character; she makes jewelry and yells at Clyde for not being present in their marriage a lot and then there's a thing with a restraining order that's pretty silly. Emily is occasionally dressed up like your typical horror movie spooky girl with shadowed eyes an over-powdered face and dark clothes; it's much more disturbing when she just looks like an ordinary though ill young girl. The scenes in the heavily Hasidic neighborhood in Brooklyn look oddly fake and while it's hard to think of who else could have played Tzadok an observant Hasidic Jew who is also an outsider willing to take risks the others will not Matisyahu is not a very good actor. Still the filmmakers should be commended for authenticity insofar as Matisyahu has studied and lived as a Hasidic Jew.
It would be cool if Lionsgate and Ghost House Pictures were to release the R-rated version of the movie on DVD. What the filmmakers have done within the confines of a PG-13 rating is creepy enough to make me curious to see the more adult version. The Possession is no horror superstar and its name is all too forgettable in a summer full of long-gestating horror movies quickly pushed out the door. It's entertaining enough and could even find a broader audience on DVD. Jeffrey Dean Morgan can read the Old Testament to me any time.